TimW
Major Contributor
If you just want to match the performance of the LSR305 you don't have to spend that much on electronics. It uses very cheap electronics.
-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Any interest in an ASR community speaker project?
- Thread starter 617
- Start date
OP
- Thread Starter
- #22
I think for an active speaker to be cost effective it would have to be quite high end. Diyers don't have access to dsp amplifiers like those used by Kali or JBL. If we did, active would be a no brainer.
This is a separate conversation, however. What is your preference for speaker type and price point?
Sure, but there are a very limited number of off-the-shelf DSP options available to the DIYer, which limits the discussion.
edit: oops - ninja'd.
Okay, completely reversing field on my last post. How's this for an interesting active project: Take the basic C-Note, build it sealed but with the passive M/T xover (although maybe explore tweaking it). Turn it into a 3-way actively by pairing it with an inefficient bass monster like the TB W5 or W6 woofers - i.e put it on top of a Voxel. Dayton DSP and a pair of IcePowerASX125 amps. All in for maybe $650?
TimW
Major Contributor
I've used these for cheap active systems, usually portable. I'm currently putting together an integrated amp with a miniDSP 2x4 and a 3e-Audio EAUMT-0100-4-A with a Connex Electronics power supply. Very reasonably priced electronics for a speaker using medium pricepoint drivers imo.
With how many threads there are here with people asking which high performance class-D amp to get, I don't think it would be unreasonable to design a high performance speaker around a miniDSP or Hypex plate amp. Some people could even just use a cheap DSP unit with used Niles amps.
With how many threads there are here with people asking which high performance class-D amp to get, I don't think it would be unreasonable to design a high performance speaker around a miniDSP or Hypex plate amp. Some people could even just use a cheap DSP unit with used Niles amps.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #26
Tim, the Dayton amp you linked is quite interesting. That might be a viable product for a small inexpensive speaker. I still favor a passive for the low price point but this might be a really interesting option.
Would someone @WolfX-700 or @amirm be willing to test this unit?
OP
- Thread Starter
- #29
I agree, it only makes sense in the context of a larger 2 way at greater cost. I think the small speaker we've been discussing is the most approachable idea really
Do you have the capability to calculate speaker preference from limited data sets? Not the full NFS output but just horizontal and vertical polars?
OP
- Thread Starter
- #31
Yeah, say 10 degree increments in the vertical and horizontal. VituixCAD can apparently show spinorama data but it would be nice if we could quickly simulate preference score as well.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2016
- Messages
- 2,874
- Likes
- 4,674
Interesting idea!
My first thought is to look where there's a lacuna, as a unique kit is more likely to be built. There are small kits out there. There are waveguide tweeter kits out there, e.g. from DIY Sound Group. I do not see many 3-way kits. Therefore, I think that idea is a good one if crossover cost can be managed. (One thought: instead of a conventional 3-way, what about a "filler driver" approach, a la Bryston Mini A? (Blue trace is woofer, red trace is combined midrange/tweeter)
Regardless of design, I think the main constraints on building are cabinet and drive unit availability. Unfortunately I don't know of a current source for refinished cabinets. There are a few companies offering flat packs. As for drive units, that means no "buyout" type drivers. Drivers should be expected to be available from major suppliers for some time to come.
Perhaps, but usability is an issue, too. Affordable modern electronics suitable for high fidelity reproduction (i.e. include bass management and room correction) come in two flavors: AVRs and integrated amps. Many of these devices lack preouts. So for better or worse a passive speaker is more likely to be usable by more people.
My first thought is to look where there's a lacuna, as a unique kit is more likely to be built. There are small kits out there. There are waveguide tweeter kits out there, e.g. from DIY Sound Group. I do not see many 3-way kits. Therefore, I think that idea is a good one if crossover cost can be managed. (One thought: instead of a conventional 3-way, what about a "filler driver" approach, a la Bryston Mini A? (Blue trace is woofer, red trace is combined midrange/tweeter)
Regardless of design, I think the main constraints on building are cabinet and drive unit availability. Unfortunately I don't know of a current source for refinished cabinets. There are a few companies offering flat packs. As for drive units, that means no "buyout" type drivers. Drivers should be expected to be available from major suppliers for some time to come.
Perhaps, but usability is an issue, too. Affordable modern electronics suitable for high fidelity reproduction (i.e. include bass management and room correction) come in two flavors: AVRs and integrated amps. Many of these devices lack preouts. So for better or worse a passive speaker is more likely to be usable by more people.
A 3-way floorstander with Hypex FA123 dsp+Ncore amps would give maximally low cost/benefit ratio for a diy project!
Because:
- we can buy very good small 2-way speakers, diy won't be any cheaper or better!
- a Hypex 3-way dsp/amp is very easy and safe to buy anywhere and use, also a good lesson for other projects later on
- 3-way with dsp can easlily be done so that subwoofers are not needed
- dsp-active stereo speakers fit well with modern hifi culture of digital/mobile sources and different rooms with room-dependent eq
- you can easily use them as HT mains too!
- been there, done that!
Because:
- we can buy very good small 2-way speakers, diy won't be any cheaper or better!
- a Hypex 3-way dsp/amp is very easy and safe to buy anywhere and use, also a good lesson for other projects later on
- 3-way with dsp can easlily be done so that subwoofers are not needed
- dsp-active stereo speakers fit well with modern hifi culture of digital/mobile sources and different rooms with room-dependent eq
- you can easily use them as HT mains too!
- been there, done that!
Last edited:
Well, you are using a much different definition of 'low cost' than elsewhere in this thread. A pair of FA123 is $850 here in the US. Let's say we use Satori drivers since they're top-shelf, but fairly reasonable relatively speaking. WO24, MR13, TW29. That's about $900 additional if using the non-BE tweeter, pushing $1300 for the BE. Figure $2-300 additional for BB or bamboo to do the build justice. Certainly, the potential for a great system, but $2k+ certainly wasn't the initial target for this exercise.
Not quite low cost but my suggestion - 15L bass reflex two way; purifi 6.5 woofer and an SB26ADC in a waveguide. That would be pretty hard to beat in 15L, and sensitivity isn't an issue since we all use 1-2kw hypex amplifiers here anyway, don't we?
Speaker max wattage handling is an issue; you wouldn’t want an 83dB speaker that can only handle 40W.
Well, for me it’s at least 105dB at the listening position as I watch a lot of movies. For people who are mainly looking for music usage you can get away with a lot less, 90dB-95dB max at the listening position is probably enough (this is for peaks mind you, not RMS/continuous).
OP
- Thread Starter
- #40
If you want reference levels at low distortion at over 2m you have a rough time doing it with a small speaker.
If I was trying to hit that level I'd be using an 8 inch woofer to begin with.
